Comic Book Podcast

I was in need of some back issues recently, including a couple more recent issues of a couple titles (that I could not get from my usual comic book suppliers–DCBS or the Comic Book Shop), so I decided this time to try one of the biggest online retailers, Midtown Comics.

I found what I was looking for easily by using their search feature, but what impressed me was that the default choice shown was the best quality comic they had in stock, or you could choose what quality book you wanted (if there was more than one available).

Once I had found the comics I wanted, I went to checkout. Here you can see them listed and what discount I received. Also, I could decide which shipping option I wanted. As you can see, I mostly received a 15% discount, which I’m guessing is Midtown’s default. I love this! I’ve long thought that if a comic book retailer wants to move their recent unsold acquisitions for anything, say, 1-3 months old, they should discount the issues, not increase the prices!

Anyway, after I paid for my comics, I received an email confirmation of the order Friday, and by Monday morning I received word that Midtown had processed my order. It was another two days before the order was shipped and I received a tracking number, however, the USPS tracking information tells me that the post office got my shipment the day after I received the email letting me know the order had been processed, so Midtown was fast regarding processing and shipping my order. Finally, I received my package 8 days after Midtown handed the box over to USPS, so I received the comics well within the 3-12 day shipping window.

When I opened the box, this is what I saw:

Look at that bubble wrap!

Inside that paper sack were the comics. They were bagged and boarded, and most included a sticker on the bag indicating the rating. I am not an expert when it comes to rating comics, but based on what I do know, it seems like Midtown Comics’ ratings are pretty good (and I think better than mycomicshop.com, which tended to be a bit too generous about what condition a comic is rated, at least for the titles that I bought).

Midtown offers a subscription service, but it appears that most mainstream titles are 35% off (whereas DCBS offers 40% off normally). The site also has daily and weekly deals, plus clearance items. Finally, there are weekly “codeword” sales (e.g., “20% off all back issues O-S”), but you must sign up to receive an email to get the code.

With this order, I was able to complete my run of Blue Devil comics, as well as some Stephanie Brown appearances in some Batman titles, plus (as shown above) the Terry Moore written issues of Birds of Prey, and the World’s Funnest issue. All in all, I was pleased with this service and will consider buying from Midtown Comics again.

Are you looking for an online retailer for monthly comics, or a place to buy specific back issues? If the former, then I recommend Discount Comic Book Service. I’ve been a customer of DCBS for over five years now and really like their service. Thanks for reading and commenting. Good luck!